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Sindh objects to setting up new Thar coal body
Karachi
:A meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Qaim Ali Shah
at CM House on Friday raised “serious objections” over the setting
up of Thar Coal Mining Company for the utilisation of coal reserves
in Thar, terming it as a move to take control of the coal reserves.
“Thar Coal and Energy Board (TCEB) is
the only notified legal and authorised body to exercise all powers
for deciding matters and aspects pertaining to mining and power
generation from Thar coal in the province,” said the chief minister.
During a briefing, the meeting was
informed that the proposal for “Thar Coal Mining Company” was
floated in October 2006 by placing it on Central Development Working
Party (CDWP), but the Sindh government had objected to the move.
On February 15, 2005, then deputy
chairman of Planning Commission had made a presentation to the prime
minister and the president on “Energy Security Action Plan”, wherein
recommendations for the establishment of “National Integrated Coal
Mining and Power Generation Authority” on the pattern of WAPDA (a
joint venture of federal and provincial governments and
local/foreign private sector) were made and approved.
It had been proposed that “Pakistan
Coal Development Company”, with an investment of Rs.2 billion from
the federal government, would be formed to establish the initial
framework to attract foreign investment for coal, which was
initially an attempt to take over the coal resources of Sindh. The
establishment of Thar Coal Mining Company was approved by CDWP on
October 19, 2006 at an estimated cost of Rs241.790 million,
including the foreign exchange component of Rs23.70 million.
The meeting was further informed that
the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources (P&NR), in its
letter dated June 10, 2007, had launched a company namely
“Establishment of Thar Coal Mining Company” with 80 per cent share
holding for federal government i.e. 20per cent share for Ministry of
P&NR, 20 per cent share for National Logistic Cell (NLC) and 40 per
cent share for private sector, while only 20 per cent was reserved
for the Sindh government.
Under the letter from Mines and
Mineral Development Department, the federal government vide its
notification dated July 8, 2008 constituted the Thar Coal Authority,
which abolished the Thar Coal Mining Company (TCMC). Later, another
notification was issued on October 11, 2008 for the withdrawal of
Thar Coal Authority after the constitution of Thar Coal and Energy
Board. The meeting was informed that CDWP approved two similar
schemes of coal gasification and revived TCMC without any
consultation from provincial government.
It was stated that the CDWP approved
two similar schemes of coal gasification and also revived Thar Coal
Mineral Company, without any consultation from the provincial
government. It was further informed that the Sindh government raised
objection vide letter dated May 8, 2009 by conveying serious
objections and reservations to the deputy chairman of Planning
Commission. Besides, the chief minister Sindh, who is also the
chairman of Thar Coal and Energy Board, had also talked to the prime
minister regarding the situation.
The meeting was informed that TCEB
has full support of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and the board would deliver the desired
results.
Shah meanwhile also maintained that
Gorakh Hill Station, being developed as a tourist
resort, would soon be completed and
opened for common
people.
He said that work on Keenjhar tourist
spot would be finalised soon, and added that work on Hyderabad–Mirpurkhas
dual carriage road would also be initiated soon.
The meeting was attended, among
others, by Sindh Minister for Irrigation and Power Syed Murad Ali
Shah, Sindh Revenue Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Sindh Minister
for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Chief
Secretary Sindh Fazal-ur-Rehman, Additional Chief Secretary (P&D)
Nazar Hussain Mahar, Secretary to CM Syed Sohail Akbar Shah,
Secretary Finance Fazalullah Pechuho, Secretary Mines and Minerals
Aijaz Ahmed and others.
The
News:Saturday
,May 162009
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